So the saga continues... We got a phone call from the Director. Apparently Christmas is a cultural holiday. I must have missed that when I was working on my degree in Comparative Religion. I was really sure that Christmas was the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Who, Christians believe is the Savior.
Sure we could debate when Jesus was really born, and why Christmas is on the 25th. But, the fact stands that Christmas is one of the two top holidays of the Christian religion. When did Christmas become a cultural holiday? As long as you don't talk about Jesus, you are good? Must be like new math, it changed after I was done with school.
The reasoning on why Driedel x 3 is such a problem is that it is religious and they don't do anything religious at a publicly funded Preschool. They only focus on winter.
Again, we queried, why Christmas? Because it is a winter holiday. Oh, we respond so is Hanukkah. So we can add Driedel x 3 to the song list. This is great news. No, we can't do that, do you people not understand Hanukkah is religious, but Christmas isn't. (I realize that it is actually a fall holiday here, but let's not confuse the discussion with facts. That would just be wrong.)
We are meeting the Boss of the Director. BOD, for short. Apparently BOD will be able to explain it better. She will be able to tell us how having a Christmas program is not religious but Driedel x 3 is. In fact if I were to read Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins, I would be reading a religious book. But, reading a book about Santa Claus is not religious.
We would NOT want our children exposed to a song about driedels, or a story about goblins because they might all burst into flames. Or worse, marry Jews, convert and raise their kids as Jews. Pure Evil.
What are we doing? Well we are going to the meeting and better connected friend hooked us up with some support. I guess I am going to die on the sword for this one.
Bring it....
I'm glad you're not giving up on your crusade. The school is being so ridiculous! It's not like you're telling everyone to celebrate Rosh Hashanah.
ReplyDeleteI say go for the jugular. I was so ambivalent about this issue at first but I can't tolerate stupidity.
ReplyDeleteChristmas = Christ, + mass.
ReplyDeleteSanta Claus, a.k.a. Saint Nick. Not Catholic or anything...;)
As a practicing Quaker, I do believe in Christ. I also cherish the light and truth apparent in all other faiths, including Judaism. The separation of church and state is an important Constitutional value in this nation. It's why I have the right to worship as I want, and Jews have the right to practice their faith too. It's guaranteed in the first ammendment.
The Supreme Court has already decided the issue of religion in public schools. If the preschool is privately funded, they can do what they want. But if they are publicly funded, the celebration of Christmas at the exclusion of Jewish holidays (or Kwanzaa for that matter) is a no-go.
I wish you and your family a beautiful and blessed season of worship in your own religious fashion. I also encourage you to fight for your daughter's Constitutional right to worship as she pleases. Families with a solid value set are a rarity these days. Yours should be CELEBRATED.